12bravo, I've been trying to follow along on your efforts . . . but a few definitions would be helpful.
1. The large rocks you are taking out - how big are they? Are they 6 inch or bowling ball sized or flat step rock sized. I've seen the words larger rock used to apply to the road. but 2 - 3" is normally what all driveways use as "base rock". Then you use "3/4 minus" rock as finishing over the base rock.
The rocks that I had delivered are 2-3" rock.
2. Where is the water pressure direction? Does it follow the driveway or does the water run at the driveway? Does it funnel to specific points or does it pressure all along the driveway? Normally if the water pressure runs with the driveway - you try to "case harden" the pressure side to prevent erosion pulling the material down along the driveway. "Hardening the edge" with base and then pressure build with 3/4 minus on that same edge keeps erosion down and keeps water from crossing. If the water pressure is "at the road" - normally you try to make "crossing" or "pressure reduction" bridges of base rock plus a quality compost. This allows water to transfer across the driveway in pressured areas while the base rock and compost combine like a control dam. Then 3/4 minus is used as a hard topping where these are done. In addition some slotted drain tile put in that same crossing area helps transfer heavier water rains etc. from one side of the driveway to the other at those key points.
If you look at previous post in this threat I have pictures showing where the water is flowing. The yellow line in one picture and the Black line in another picture coming from my neighbors driveway. We share a driveway, but my part is the lower section.
3. The idea of base base rock on top of a really soft road bed/driveway bed is good if you can drive those 2" to 3" rocks down down down - in effect trying to create a weaker version of starting the driveway with base rock before anything else. TN has freezing and gravel is notorious for going soft when thawed and pushing big rock to the surface. So if you are trying to "harden" the road - compacting base rock into soft driveways can help . . . . but the real key is understanding the direction of your water pressure and creating those relief needs. Think of it like your hydraulic lines on the tractor - without a relief valve process- pressure could build anywhere and it would be bad for hydraulic lines. Water creates hydraulic pressure to be relieved. As an example - lots of tight gravel creates dam - and with no leaching or relief - either the dam holds under pressure or it blows out anywhere it can. In sandy soil - good quality compost allows the soil to hold together better - and in heavy soils - good quality compost allows water transfer without erosion. We used the principle on our heavy clay soils in our steep pitched slopes that bottleneck flowed water - as we were building.
Honestly, right now I am just putting rock down and driving on it to help compact it. This rock was actually going to be for the ditch and run off areas that I was going to make. But I had to put something down. Look at the picture I provided with the dump truck. The muddy nasty mess behind the truck straight in front of me when I took the picture. That's the driveway, not off to the side, that is the middle of the driveway and was nasty. I had to do something so I used what I had available at the time.
